The Hunter and The Prey

The Veil

I laid there quietly, head throbbing feeling a lump forming but there was no blood. I wanted to doze but Stephen wouldn't allow me to fall asleep. He would shake me or call my name. In about an hour, there was a knock at the door which was weird because I hadn't heard a vehicle. We were a ways from other houses for somebody to just walk there, especially as it was very early in the morning. A young woman with curly red hair and twinkling blue eyes who was pretty had almost an unworldly look about her came into my room. She was wearing a black leather dress that was closed at the top with a zig-zag tie cord and showed a bit of cleavage. In a way, she looked as if she came out of one of Stephens medieval history stories with a modern flair. "You poor boy," she said as if I was a child of seven. "Stephen tells me he scared the bejeezus out of you and you slipped and hit your head. Could have a concussion."

Stephen gave her his stern daddy look as if she had said something naughty. I had at various times seen him give this look to people in the class and at me.

She giggled and rolled her eyes as she sat down beside me. I just laid there dumbfounded. "Roll on your side please."

I did as she asked, feeling her touch my bareback with one hand and examine my head with the other. Then she turned to Stephen. "He doesn't have a concussion, just a nasty bump on the head. I have a poultice just for this."

"What's that?" I asked. I just expected her to say we needed to keep ice on it.

"It's something that will make you feel a lot better," she said as she opened her little leather bag and began mixing stuff in a bowl. I wrinkled my nose because the smell was terrible. She began applying the gooey paste to the lump area and then wrapping my head in a bandage. Turning back to Stephen as if he was in charge of me she said, "Keep the bandage on a few hours and have him rest. Then it can be washed out and he should be good as new."

Curling my upper lip. "Are you insane? I won't be good as new after a few hours?" Strangely though, some of the pain was already ebbing away.

She smiled and patted my knee. "I promise you will."

"That's enough Trix," Stephen reprimanded her again as if she was doing something she shouldn't.

She pouted her lips for a moment. "Your no fun. Would you like me to stay and keep an eye on him?"

"No," he said, his voice was stern.

She laughed as if he said something amusing and then turned back to me again. "I'll see you later." Not waiting for a reply, she turned and left. Still, I heard no vehicle leave.

"Did she walk all the way here?" I asked raising my brows.

"Yes," he said without an explanation. "I'm going to get you some tea to help you rest."

"No thanks."

He left the room then and came back with tea anyway. I could smell the strong rich scent of it and a slight scent of honey. "Drink," he ordered.

I shrugged, waving him away. Too much had happened in one day.

"The tea will also help you. It has healing properties in it as well."

Sighing reluctantly, I sipped on the tea.

Nodding, he sat down in a chair watching me. I had questions but wasn't sure how to form them at the moment. Before long, I could barely think and my eyes were getting heavy. "You drugged me!" I accused.

"Its to help you rest. Don't be scared," he said, laying a hand on my arm as I blacked out.

The urges of my bladder woke me up, and I went to the bathroom. Blinking sleep out of my eyes, I saw that the clock and it was 4 pm in the afternoon. I was alone in the bedroom and had been asleep since early this morning. Strangely, I felt wide awake and refreshed. My head felt fine. Feeling for the bump, I realized it was gone and wasn't even sore. I ripped off the bandages and felt all the gook that she had put on my head. Then taking another shower and thinking about all the events that had happened yesterday, I realized, It should have seemed odd that Trix came that early in the morning. Now was the time for questions. Toweling myself off, I dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Then I went to find Stephen who was in his den grading papers. He grinned at me. "How are you feeling?"